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hammer205 8:34 Sat Apr 15
When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

Anyone recall as there was no social media

swindon hammer 9:29 Mon Apr 17
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

It was fairly well known that Lyall managed the team and the club like it was his own money. A bit like Arsene Wenger today.

He was always reluctant to spend big money unless he was confident it would be on someone that would go straight into the first team and make an impact.

Unfortunately after the great 85/86 season it backfired because we struggled with injuries and bad form.
There was money available because he always said in the match day program and in the local press that there was but for the reasons I mentioned above he was reluctant to spend it.

Towards the end of the 86/87 season when we were struggling he spent around 1 million (big money then) on Robson, Brady, Strodder & Mcqueen.

Alex Bunbury 9:20 Mon Apr 17
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

Agree he got backed up financially in the early eighties but I am not so sure that is the case when you get to the mid eighties as I am not sure Lyall had much if at all to spend other than what was received in transfers. For example Paul Allen was sold for around 400k, McAvennie went to Celtic for around a million and Cottee went to Everton for 2 million plus.

Northern Sold 9:09 Mon Apr 17
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

I thought JL was backed up pretty well with what players he wanted... I mean we had the world record for a goalkeeper Parksey (£560k)... spent big bucks on Ray Stewart (£430k) , McAvennie (£340k and £1,25m), Goddard (£800k), Stewart Robson (£700k) ... so he was backed up plenty of times...

AlvinMartinAllen 2:53 Mon Apr 17
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

*was

AlvinMartinAllen 2:53 Mon Apr 17
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

Totally different times with the money involved now, but anyone who thinks Bilic is as half as good as Lyall is off their head.

If Lyall had the equivalent backing financially as Bilic has had his record would have been even greater, without shadow of a doubt.

We should be comparing Bilic with similar times under Roeder, Grant, Zola and Curbishley.

theaxeman 2:09 Mon Apr 17
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

Jack

I have got a short memory tbh. Im not necessarily defending Cearns but i dont believe they were anything like this board, they might have been stingy but they neer killed west ham like these cunts.
We also kept a lot of our best players in that period, Brooking, Bonds, Lampard, Deveonshire, Parkes, Martin, Stewart, Cross etc.
McAvennie wanted to leave to go to Celtic and we paid 1.2m to bring him back. Agreed they could have done more but cant agree they were worse than this lot.

cygnet 11:56 Mon Apr 17
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

My recollection is that there was never any hint that Lyell would be replaced. The only thing I do recall was Brooking saying he'd decided to stay as Ron Greenwood had assured him that playing in the 2nd division wouldn't impact on his England career.
A decade later I understand that Lyall's contract was up and the board simply didn't renew it. Not exactly 'sacked'. He proved them (and a lot of fans) wrong by winning the 2nd division title with Ipswich.

jack flash 11:16 Mon Apr 17
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

Coffee! Cottee!

jack flash 11:15 Mon Apr 17
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

the axeman 11:34 ~

True we signed those two players at the start of Lyalls tenure & were much improved by them (just as now we were desperate for a competent goalie & it was a real shock that a great keeper like Parkes joined us!)

However, Lyall was forced to sell many of our best players, breaking up arguably the best side we'd ever had

Dickens, Ward, Coffee, McAvennie for example. As far as I'm aware none of them wanted to leave

Had Devonshire not been seriously injured you can bet your bottom dollar he would have been flogged off too

Lyall,to his credit, brought a lot of youth players into the first team (as he was unable to buy in quality (Martin, Devonshire, Ince)

Ince, I believe was particularly pissed off with the way Lyall was treated, since it was Lyall who turned Ince into a football where otherwise he would have been a gangsta

& yes, there were people wanted Lyall out, even banners to that sentiment (which I personally was disgusted by)

It should also be remembered that Lyall went on to be a successful manager at Ipswich

Sacking him from West Ham was one of the most disgraceful acts in our history

That board was far far worse than the current lot & if you can't see that you have a very short memory

wd40 11:13 Mon Apr 17
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

Then again there was some beautiful football played
when Lyall was in charge.

wd40 11:12 Mon Apr 17
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

McAvennie's comeback match :
looking unfit and the club wishing to please the fans
while not moving on and looking forward

Supporters on the day didn't buy it .

balders 10:58 Mon Apr 17
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

Lyall was our best manager I remember in my time

But he had lost the plot in 89 , missed 2 games that year and had a season ticket behind the bench it was pony . It really first started Norwich away on the TV

Everyone has a bench life and he's had past

But god typical West Ham at the time they could have moved him upstairs but decided to treat him like shit , same as Moore and Bonds

Cheezey Bell-End 10:16 Sun Apr 16
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

If only Brooking and Bonds had been available that season.

Lato 9:45 Sun Apr 16
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

It took him three seasons to get us back in the 1st division. But, in that time we won the FA Cup the last non top flight to do so. Got narrowly beaten in the League cup final the following Season by Liverpool shortly to be crowned European Champions. And then won the 2nd division by 13 points when it was only 2 points for a win. A country mile by todays standards. What a team that was. Sadly after the 1985/86 season when we should have won the old 1st division title it started to go tits up and the yo-yoing started.

JOHNNY LYALL'S CLARET AND BLUE ARMY....oh happy days

Cheezey Bell-End 8:11 Sun Apr 16
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

I think I remember that Norwich game. They had Trevor Putney in midfield who was kicking us about and getting away with it. The ref was Lester Shapter who was giving them everything. Norwich were good at the time.

Private Dancer 8:08 Sun Apr 16
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

Sold - Yup, it was Naarwich. You have a good memory, i was at that game but don't remember the Lyall out chanting, but I do remember a 'welcome home Frank' banner in the chicken run. I don't know if it was one of Banks' though :-)

Sarge 7:41 Sun Apr 16
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

Social media in 78 was my brother sticking the HAMMERS GO DOWN headline from the paper on my bedroom door.

Northern Sold 7:13 Sun Apr 16
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

Biggest `Lyall Out' chant I remember was McAvennie's comeback game when he resigned from Celtic... think it was Norwich...started superbly... went a goal down and it all started... LOUD

Hammer and Pickle 4:51 Sun Apr 16
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

In the 70s and early 80s, Lyall and the football West Ham played under him commanded such respect that even relegation did not sway loyalty. I take comfort in the memories.

Coffee 4:41 Sun Apr 16
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

Don't do it, Mart.

Mart O 4:41 Sun Apr 16
Re: When we were relegated under lyall in 78 what was fan reaction like

swindon hammer 3:03 Sun Apr 16

"John lyall and our fans had the benefit of keeping Brooking, Alvin, Bonds, Lampard and Cross when we got relegated.

Somehow I doubt we would be keeping Antonio, Carroll, Lanzini and Reid if we got relegated this season."

I see what you mean, but the very idea of comparing the former to the latter makes me want to jump off a bridge.

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